FAQ

2. Eligibility Questions

 

Q. I have Japanese nationality. Can I still apply to PEAK?

A. There are no restrictions based on nationality, and you can apply to PEAK as long as you meet Requirement 1 and one of the requirements in Requirement 2 at the time of enrollment on October 1st, 2013. 


1) Requirement 1


The applicant must have spent at least 5 of the first 6 school years and at least 5 of the second 6 school years studying in a language other than Japanese. For each of the five school years, the vast majority of courses must have been delivered in a language other than Japanese.


2) Requirement 2 (The applicant must fulfill at least ONE of the following requirements.)


(a) The applicant must have completed all the requirements of a 12 school year education system consisting of primary and secondary education.Those who have or will be graduating from a Japanese institution should have completed or plan to complete the standard 12 school year school curriculum at a Japanese high school certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology or at a special school for international students certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.


Those who have attended schools in Japan not certified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, must contact the university between September 18, 2012, and October 12, 2012, to have their eligibility reviewed by the Individual Admission Review Process of the University of Tokyo. (However, it must be noted that only those who are eighteen or older at the time of entry to the university can have their eligibility reviewed.) For further details, contact our Admissions Office through the web enquiry form. Make sure to include the names of the school(s) you attended after nursery school/kindergarten and their location(s) as well as period attended (yyyy-mm). Application materials from those who do not satisfy requirement 2(a) and who fail to clear this process will not be considered.


(b) The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and have obtained one of the following qualifications:


a. International Baccalaureate(awarded by the International Baccalaureate Organization)

b. Abitur (designated by the Federal Republic of Germany)

c. Baccalaureate(designated by the French Republic)

 

(c) If the applicant has completed an education system that is less than 12 school years, he or she must be at least 18 years of age, and should have completed the requirements of Japanese pre-university preparatory institutions for students planning to study in Japan, which are designated by the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Alternatively, the applicant must be at least 18 years of age and should have received sufficient university education so as to satisfy the 12 school year requirement for entering Japanese universities (for example, if the applicant's school education was 11 years, he or she should receive at least one year of university education to be eligible to enroll in PEAK).


(d) The applicant must have passed an official test that shows he or she possesses academic background equivalent or superior to that obtained from a 12-year curriculum. In this case, the applicant must be at least eighteen years old at the time of entry to the university.

 

Q. I am currently a student at an international school in Japan, where the primary language of instruction is not Japanese. Am I eligible to apply to PEAK?

A. In these cases, we follow the eligibility requirements set by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). You are eligible if you are 18 years old, and satisfy one of the following two requirements.


1. Your school is designated as an equivalent to a foreign high school.

2. Your school is recognized as an international school by one of the following accrediting organizations (WASC, CIS, ACSI).

 

See the MEXT website below for the list of international schools recognized under these two definitions (in Japanese):

http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/shikaku/07111319.htm#a005

 

Q. Some years have passed since my high school graduation. Can I still apply to PEAK?

A. Yes, you can apply to PEAK as long as you have completed 12 years of schooling and meet the eligibility requirements. There is no maximum age limit for applying to PEAK.

 

Q. Can I apply to PEAK and the Special Class 1 Screening (for foreign students who do not have permission to reside permanently in Japan) or Special Class 2 Screening (for Japanese students or permanent residents who have graduated from a secondary school overseas)?

 

A. Applicants may NOT have multiple applications to the University of Tokyo being considered at the same time. This includes all other undergraduate entrance examinations or other forms of screening administered by the University of Tokyo.

 

For example, a case that is NOT acceptable:

Applying to the Special Class 1 or 2 Screening for 2014 April enrollment and

the PEAK program for 2014 October enrollment

Since both applications would be reviewed at approximately the same time. around January to March 2014.

 

A case that is acceptable:

Applying to the PEAK program for October 2013 enrollment and

to Special Class 1 or 2 Screening for April 2014 enrollment

Since the PEAK application would be reviewed starting in January 2013, and the April 2014 enrollment would be reviewed around January to March 2014.

 

Please note that students accepted under the Class 1 or 2 Screenings are expected to take courses offered primarily in Japanese, while students admitted through PEAK are expected to take courses offered primarily in English.

 

Q. Can I apply to PEAK and the general admissions at the same time?

A. You cannot submit multiple applications to the University of Tokyo at the same time.

 

A case that is NOT acceptable:

Applying to the general admissions for 2014 April enrollment and

the PEAK program for 2014 October enrollment

Since both applications would be reviewed at approximately the same time, around January to March 2014.

 

A case that is acceptable:

Applying to the PEAK program for October 2013 enrollment and

to general admissions for April 2014 enrollment

Since the PEAK application would be reviewed starting in January 2013, and the April 2014 enrollment would be reviewed around January to March 2014.

 

Note that students accepted under the general admissions are expected to take courses offered primarily in Japanese, while students admitted through PEAK are expected to take courses offered primarily in English.

 

Q. What kind of subjects should I have studied to enter the PEAK program?

A. Students applying to the PEAK programs are expected to have studied subjects that are commensurate with the respective programs. We expect students to be highly literate and numerate with a broad range of analytical and critical thinking skills. For further information, check the expected background knowledge for each program (http://peak.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/our-courses/).